Books that Fight Back

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For months, our small group of readers have been reviewing the 250+ chapbooks submitted to this year’s contest. Last week, we finally narrowed it down to 10 finalists and some honorable mentions–there were just SO MANY GOOD MANUSCRIPTS.

Guest Judge Sara Lippmann was sent the finalists, and after careful reading, she has chosen SJ Sindu‘schapbook, I Once Met You But You Were Dead, for publication at Split Lip Press in early 2017.

SJ Sindu

Of the manuscript, Sara said:

“This chapbook is raw and timely and unforgettable. I love the textured layers, how the stories unfold, the jagged edges, how they push up against one another in juxtaposition and in accumulation. The prose is assured, dynamic and alive, confidently moving through time and space. I love the mix presented: of style and structure, point of view — held together by a consistent yet refreshing voice. I love how the author comes at theme from different angles to prismatic effect. People ask me why I read, and my answer is for work like this: that stirs me out of my comfort zone, that upturns expectation and burrows into the deep, that grabs me by the heart and transports me, leaving me changed. This chapbook delivers on that front. There is a vitality and vulnerability to this voice, evidenced by how it shifts, often within story, breaking rules, that excites me in a way I have not felt in some time. The stories feel urgent and necessary and not overworked, seams showing, stories that speak to a big literary future ahead.”

FINALISTS

First Runner-Up: Shasta Grant, Gather Us Up and Bring Us Home

(which Split Lip will also have the great fortune to publish in summer 2017!)

Hello, and happy June! (WTF, how are we already halfway through this year? Time is weird.)

There is SO. MUCH. going on with both the magazine and the press. Here is the quick and dirty list to keep you up to date:

SPLIT LIP MAGAZINE NEWSto and, who are joining the Split Lip staff as Flash Fiction Editor and Memoir Editor. We are thrilled to get to add these talented writers/editors to our roster and hope you will send them work ASAP!

HUGE WELCOME to Kaitlyn Andrews-RiceandJen Palmares Meadows, who are joining the Split Lip staff as Flash Fiction Editor and Memoir Editor. We are thrilled to get to add these talented writers/editors to our roster and hope you will send them work ASAP!

We are now accepting FLASH FICTION as its very own category! And submissions are free until the end of the month: submit your best (under 1000 words) here.

Late this summer, we are going to be transitioning from an online quarterly to more of a weekly magazine–so you can get your Split Lip fix 24/7 instead of just four times a year. We are excited about this new direction, and we already have some stellar work chosen for the launch.

SPLIT LIP PRESS NEWS

The TURNBUCKLE CHAPBOOK CONTEST finalists have been sent to our guest judge, Sara Lippmann. Stay tuned for the winner, who will have their chapbook published with Split Lip in early 2017.

We have books forthcoming from Mila Jaroniec (novel), Melissa Wiley (essay collection), and Kristen Arnett (story collection). We could not be more thrilled to work with these incredibly talented writers.

NOTE: We might need a little help in the near future. If you’re interested in learning the small press ropes, just give us a shout. It’s all volunteer (but we can pay you in books and joy).

Happy Book Birthday to Jared Yates Sexton’s I Am the Oil of the Engine of the World, his second collection from Split Lip. We are thrilled to be able to put this weird + wonderful stories out into the world.

Here is a clip of Jared reading one of the stories, You Are But a Pilgrim Venturing to a Strange and Honest Land, originally published in Cleaver Magazine.

The book is now available through Split Lip (buy directly and support small presses) or Amazon, and you can save it and review it on Goodreads. Or if you’re a book reviewer for a blog or journal, we’d be happy to send you a .pdf or hard copy–just drop us a request: editor@splitlipmagazine.com.

Thank you for reading and supporting our authors and books! Keep an eye on our social media accounts all day long for a chance to win a I Am the Oil of the Engine of the World Leap Day Grab Bag, that includes a signed copy of the book, Split Lip swag, and other surprises.

Also: Jared will be on a panel at the upcoming Voices of the Middle West 2016and at AWP 2016 in Los Angeles (w/ BULL and Split Lip at Table #233 and at our reading w/ Little Fiction/Big Truths). Be sure to shake his hand–and get his book if you haven’t yet.

Thank you to everyone who sent their flash memoir (under 750 words) for our first Livershot Memoir Contest. We narrowed almost 300 entries down to 11 (we tried for 10, but just couldn’t do it), and then we sent the entries to our final judge, Matthew Dexter, who chose the winners. All winners will be published in the Winter issue of Split Lip Magazine.

We are thrilled to announce that Kara Vernor has signed a contract with Split Lip Press for her first chapbook, a collection of short stories called “Because I Wanted to Write You a Pop Song” (title taken from THIS amazing story of the same name).

We have been long-time fans of Kara’s work and couldn’t be more excited to work with her. Her collection comes out in June 2016, so stay tuned for cover previewsm, excerpts, and more.

Check out this dreamy film for the poem, “Nowhere,” which is in Katie Schmid’s chapbook forget me/hit me/let me drink great quantities of clear, evil liquor. Available now from SPLIT LIP or at Amazon (if you must):

Amanda Miska has taken over as Publisher/Editor of Split Lip Press! And she is currently reading manuscripts to consider for our 2016/2017 catalogues. Her talented sister, Jayme Cawthern, has also joined our team as graphic designer for books and web. J. Scott Bugher, illustrious founder, is staying on to advise and keep us as punk as possible.

Katie Schmid’s 2015 Turnbuckle Chapbook award-winner, forget me/hit me/let me drink great quantities of clear, evil liquor, is now available for pre-order and will be released in January 2016.

Phew. I’m exhausted just looking at this list. But excited too! Thank you for all your support for Split Lip Magazine/Press. We couldn’t do anything without all of you.